Tag Archives: prepping

In the past few months I have noticed the number of Prepper, Bush Craft, and Survivalist websites and blogs has exploded. It seems as everybody is trying to get in on the action like it’s some kind of new idea that hasn’t been around for long. People that live outside the cities in the countryside have been storing supplies, practicing bush craft and survivalstrategies since before there even were cities. The idea is not new.

What is new is the vast number of people that are becoming interested for the first time in recent memory. Many of these folks are seeking knowledge and skills that they had no interest in a few years ago. For most of them, preparedness is a new concept.

The cause of this renewed interest appear to be the predictions concerning current economic and political situation, and the dire predictions of doom regarding the end of the Mayan calendar in December of this year This is not centered in any area or Nation but is world wide. As regards the world wide economic and political predictions, some of them are not unreasonable and it is only prudent to take precautions for the well being of one’s self and family.

More and more people are thinking about storing up a little food for possible hard times ahead and that makes good sense. Folks that live out in the countryside have always done this. You never know what might happen tomorrow that could make you glad you had a little extra food. Something as simple as a bad snow storm or flooding conditions could keep you from getting to the grocery store for several days or longer. A natural or man made disaster could cut off your supply sources for far longer. Many of the folks in New Orleans that survived Hurricane Katrina without damage had to leave the area to find food as there were no stores in operation. This left their homes at risk of looting and break-ins.

A basic knowledge of bush craft can also come in handy. Knowing how to build a fire, cook on an open fire, basic shelter building, basic land navigation, are all skills that could be very useful after a disaster. You never know what kind of situation you will be faced with, so it’s best to have the basic skills to deal with most anything that comes up. When the need arises, it’s too late to try to learn them.

People in a disaster scenario are very unpredictable. There is no way to know before hand just how they are going to react. People could show up from miles around to help like they did on 911 in New York City or they could get crazy like they did after Katrina hit New Orleans and start looting stores and houses. An economic melt down could evoke the same kind of reactions from people. A good survivalstrategy could mean the difference between protecting your property and getting hurt or worse trying. A good survivalstrategy could mean being somewhere else when the bad guys show up or having a garden to provide food until the stores open again.

While I certainly do not want to see an economic or political melt down or the end of the world as we know it, I think this renewed interest in preparedness, and learning a few basic skills in bush craft and survival is a good thing. A people who are prepared and possess some basic skills are more confident and therefore, better able to deal with emergencies when they happen. That has to be a good thing.